The Quiet Path of a Warrior
by miz-lou
Summary: Kenshin and Kaoru have created a quiet life together. Although reluctant to hear the news again, when Kenshin is called away to serve Kaoru wants to help in the ways she can.


The Quiet Path of a Warrior  
Rated G  
By Miz Lou

The low voices droned from the dimly lit room. ''... Himura... need... help... nothing we... assistance...'' The voice faded in and out as if riding on a wind. It had been hours. As Kaoru pressed her ear to the screen her heart fell in her chest.

The uniforms. She couldn't remember where, but she recognized them from somewhere. Pale tanning gray coat approaching the knees, the crisp material embroidered with dark red thread. The gold buttons gleamed in the moonlight as they had approached the dojo, the swords clanked to the rhythm of their pacing waraji.

Two of them.

Kaoru knew... it only took one.

Her heart dared to hope against it.

''Koi.'' She nearly jumped, the skin under her kimono prickled and her hand clutched her heart involuntarily.  
His voice had the ability to do that even when he didn't seem to sneak up on her.

Frozen. ''Oh Kenshin... there you are.''She fidgeted a nervous gesture, pretending she didn't hear anything. She was simply there of coincidence, with her ear... to the screen. Caught her body automatically thought to futily cover for her actions - until she recognized his body language.

She refused to let her tears fall. He needed her to be strong.

''Kaoru...'' Her heart screamed against her chest. She knew the next words.

Padding across the floor her movements were uncharacteristically wobbly, her destination was his arms and she clutched his open kimono. ''Don't... don't tell me.'' She wanted to remain strong. Hadn't she prepared herself for this situation? She had had years to ready herself.  
Leaving was hard enough on him already, he wished to please everyone, to do the right thing... that ''baka.'' The word escaped her mouth as she rested her head against the skin of his chest. The gentle warmth emanating from him would be sorely missed as she imagined sleeping alone in their bed.

For however long he would be gone this time.

Kenshin simply smiled a sad smile against her raven hair. While Kaoru had always waited for his return, he had never asked her to. In fact he had asked her not to. His heart warmed. It seemed she would live this life whether he had asked her to or not. It made him smile to think that she still cared for him, how long she had cared for him... yet it saddened him that she had chosen this life. They had been apart before, but this would be their first time apart since their marriage.

''I don't want to know why, I don't want to know who requires your assistance. I only wish to know one thing.''  
And she already knew he didn't know the answer.

''Yes, Koi-ru?'' He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze.

The tears streamed down her now dampened cheeks, her voice would never have given away the betrayal of her body. The emotion she did not wish to show. ''How long?''

It was not an unfair question. ''Too long, that it is.'' He had to let her know.  
''... I must leave in the morning, that I must.''

She didn't want to be weak - she wouldn't be weak. She pushed off his chest. ''You can not tell me.'' Her temper got the best of her. ''You can never tell me how long...'' She slammed the screen shut as she gently threw herself on the blankets crying.

Kenshin watched her storm of emotion, feeling his heart swept into the heart of that storm. He needed to take a walk, some time to think things over.

The passion with which she lived her life, her emotion she tamed for him... but this outburst was the same outburst he wanted to display every time he was informed of his desired assistance. It always meant leaving her. He felt encouraged by her strength of character, able to show her emotion through any situation. He had changed his into wielding a sword years ago, but was slowly learning, becoming the rurouni, residing at the dojo. Then marrying Kaoru.

When the blanket could hold no more tears, she sat up and looked around the room, blinking the foggy vision away. The regret of allowing the angry words to tear from her throat was more than she could bear. A cramp seized her body and she clutched her stomach.

''... Ken... shin...''

She recalled the first time he had left her, left her paralyzed. She would not repeat that.  
Her gaze around the room fell on the reverse-blade sword cushioned on the folded sheets.

The early rays brushed his cheek as morning made its presence known. He stirred, awakening to the familiar warmth of her - her hair warming his chest as her closed eyes faced away from him cleared his thoughts and tugged at his heart.

''Ohayo Koi-ru,'' he whispered to the sleeping form. Careful not to wake her until before he left, he kissed her hair and slowly got up to get dressed.

He fastened his obi and paused as he realized his sword missing. As he scanned the room he noticed the bed empty. ''Koi?''

He gently shucked the screen open. Kaoru was making her way toward their room with a single bowl of rice. He met her half way, gently placing a hand on her stomach while taking the bowl. ''You should be resting as much as you can, that you should.''

She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. ''I wanted to make you breakfast. That won't harm the baby.'' She nuzzled his nose.

''Kaoru,'' his tone had a gentle scolding to it as he swallowed the painfully bland rice after he had refused to eat until after she sat down and rested. ''You have taken my sakabato, have you?''

The gleam in Kaoru's eyes danced with guilt and concealed pleasure. She had wanted to surprise him... to apologize to him. ''I have.''  
She hung her head.

He brushed her cheek with a thumb causing her to look up. ''I must go, that I must. My sakabato, I must have.''  
The cold, saddened tone to his voice nearly undetectable.

''You always carry the weight of the world on your shoulders... the weight of the world rests on the handle of your sword.'' Kaoru frowned, yet there was a lovingly glow to her skin. ''I have always known that you take on this responsibility... and... and I'd like to help.''

He protested gently as she drew the sword from its hiding, ''Kaoru-dono, you can not go this time. You know I would allow you to come... or you would come without my permission,'' he smiled at the memory, remembering how everything had worked out when he had initially feared for her safety. His hand trailed down to rest on her gently swelling form. ''But now, you must stay not only for you... but for our unborn child.''

''Kenshin.'' Her gentle voice drew his distracted eyes from the wooden paneled floor he did not realize he had been staring at. She offered the sword, expertly handling it as Kenshin gently took the handle. He balanced it in his palms lovingly examining the end.

It must have taken her half the night to complete the work. The indigo ribbon had been hemmed into slender strips and intricately intertwined with the leather of the handle covering, the short terminating braid showing hints of the indigo ora. Her favorite ribbon.

''Please, koi.'' She placed a hand on his encircling the embroidery work of the handle, her eyes expressing her apology. ''Please allow me to help in the ways I can.'' Her eyes took a pleading look. ''Never forget, I am with you, in every battle that you face... you are never alone. Please, don't go unless you know that.''  
Her eyes searched his, never wanting to part during an argument, especially when she didn't know if she would see him again.

His eyes confirmed he knew. He would fight with the same passion she had displayed in her emotions, the emotions she thought her weakness. He would remember, and his sword would remind him.

Kissing her gently he held her longer than he realized. Breaking the embrace, he tore a piece of his kimono and pressed it into the palm of her hand after wiping her tears with the magenta fabric. ''You help me face the battle of living my life of a blood stained warrior _everyday_.''

Their hands fell apart and she immediately pressed the damp cloth to her pursed mouth. She took shaky breaths through the material, inhaling his scent.

She could do nothing as she watched him, paralyzed again as he disappeared into the sunset.


End file.
